Best Ever Albums

Re: Best Beatles Album

Anonymous — Mon, 5 Aug 2013 15:50:00 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 08/05/2013 19:50

I've been into the Beatles since I was like 8 years old and my favorite album of theirs has probably changed 5 or 6 times over the course of my life. My earliest favorite was A Hard Day's Night, partly because I enjoyed the movie so much and partly because it was their first album to not feature any covers. There was a brief transition to "Help!" (also a great movie) before I started really getting into their later music in my early teens. At this point, my favorite became the White Album because it had the most diversity.

In my mid-to-late teens, my favorite was definitely Revolver both because it was their most experimental and because it was very Lennon-centric -- John has always been my favorite songwriter of the four. It sat at the top of my list for quite a while (~10 years) until my mid-to-late 20s. At this point, I had a brief (~few years) infatuation with Abbey Road, the second side of which is still pure bliss for me.

Right now, though, my favorite is Sgt. Pepper. Here are my reasons:

1) It is their most complete album. There is not a single weak track on it.
2) It includes the second best Beatles song (A Day in the Life). I think their best song is Strawberry Fields Forever, but that never got a proper album treatment, it was just tacked on to Magical Mystery Tour*. George Martin has openly regretted their decision to release Strawberry Fields/Penny Lane as a single before the release of Sgt. Pepper, as he thought they really belonged on the album.
3) It really emphasizes Paul's bass in the mix. He was probably the best musician of the bunch and their songs really benefit from the added depth.
4) It is their most cohesive album. Abbey Road would have a good claim to this title if the medley concept had been extended to the whole album, but the first side is pretty scattered to my ears.
5) They only used Ringo's voice properly twice in their entire catalog. The first time was in Yellow Submarine and the second is on With A Little Help From My Friends. The latter track is the strongest of the two, IMO.

You can't go wrong with the Beatles, though. Sgt. Pepper, Revolver, Abbey Road, Rubber Soul, and the White Album are all in my top 40.

* Despite having a lot of great tracks, I don't think of Magical Mystery Tour as a proper album. They just collected a few singles on one side and some movie tracks on the other. It's similar in spirit to their early Captiol releases.

Re: Best Beatles Album

them — Mon, 5 Aug 2013 14:34:08 GMT

Author: them

Posted: 08/05/2013 18:34

The Beatles (The White Album)

Re: Best Beatles Album

Evandar — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 04:52:29 GMT

Author: Evandar

Posted: 03/21/2013 08:52

Jasonconfused wrote:

While I disagree because I really like the first half, I can see where you're coming from since the second half is all the singles.

I guess the first half can seem weak at first, but it really isn't. Even Blue Jay Way eventually unfolds as the masterpiece it is.

Re: Best Beatles Album

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 18:21:17 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/20/2013 22:21

I hope so! I'm not gonna post my lyrics here, though. Takes a lot of time.

Re: Best Beatles Album

RoundTheBend — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 16:06:19 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/20/2013 20:06

JMan wrote:

That will always be my favorite Beatles song! Did you know I'm working on spoofing it into a song about Sonic?

Do we have the next Weird Al here?

Re: Best Beatles Album

Jasonconfused — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:32:25 GMT

Author: Jasonconfused

Posted: 03/20/2013 16:32

JMan wrote:

What I didn't like about Magical Mystery Tour was that all the good songs were on the second half, and the first half carried bland, generic Beatles stuff.

While I disagree because I really like the first half, I can see where you're coming from since the second half is all the singles.

Re: Best Beatles Album

Facetious — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:29:49 GMT

Author: Facetious

Posted: 03/20/2013 16:29

JMan wrote:

What I didn't like about Magical Mystery Tour was that all the good songs were on the second half, and the first half carried bland, generic Beatles stuff.

The first side has Fool on the Hill and Your Mother Should Know besides Walrus too, so I disagree.

Re: Best Beatles Album

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:02:33 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/20/2013 16:02

That will always be my favorite Beatles song! Did you know I'm working on spoofing it into a song about Sonic?

Re: Best Beatles Album

MrFrogger — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 12:01:35 GMT

Author: MrFrogger

Posted: 03/20/2013 16:01

JMan wrote:

What I didn't like about Magical Mystery Tour was that all the good songs were on the second half, and the first half carried bland, generic Beatles stuff.

Well that's because the first Half was all the songs from the film, while the 2nd was previously released singles. I am the Walrus is amazing though.

Re: Best Beatles Album

Anonymous — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:59:34 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/20/2013 15:59

What I didn't like about Magical Mystery Tour was that all the good songs were on the second half, and the first half carried bland, generic Beatles stuff.

Re: Best Beatles Album

Facetious — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:29:20 GMT

Author: Facetious

Posted: 03/20/2013 14:29

sethmadsen wrote:

Hmmm, I think this is the best explanation why this album is amazing... it just clicks for me, the way you said it. It also helps me understand why people pick it over Abbey Road and Sgt. Pepper, which before kinda baffled me.

That still baffles me actually. Yeah, it's overall cool and all, but they messed up the tracklisting a bit, just like they did with Rubber Soul.

Re: Best Beatles Album

L Lawliet — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:40:12 GMT

Author: L Lawliet

Posted: 03/20/2013 12:40

Robert Anton Wilson wrote:

Toilets flush clockwise in the northern hemisphere, counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere but the water does not swirl at the equator, it just falls down. That has to play with your mind don't it.

It's not true.

The Coriolis effect is real, however it's not powerful enough to change the direction of a flushing toliet.

Sorry to be a jerk, it had to be said though. 😁

Re: Best Beatles Album

Robert Anton Wilson — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 08:30:26 GMT

Author: Robert Anton Wilson

Posted: 03/20/2013 12:30

Hey Jude (1970-1988 RIP) but the Masters canonization of the albums killed it.

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Edit: Wow. I just realised that this is the cover of the album as it was released in Ecuador and true Beatles fan will notice what is wrong with this picture.

Toilets flush clockwise in the northern hemisphere, counterclockwise in the southern hemisphere but the water does not swirl at the equator, it just falls down. That has to play with your mind don't it.

Re: Best Beatles Album

L Lawliet — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:32:25 GMT

Author: L Lawliet

Posted: 03/20/2013 10:32

... Why does everyone think I was serious... 🧱

Re: Best Beatles Album

TracyJacks — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:27:22 GMT

Author: TracyJacks

Posted: 03/20/2013 10:27

This is really a very hard question. It depends on my mood, I often listen to the early albums a lot, A hard day's night or Please please me are just so good. I could vote for Rubber Sould, Revolver, Pepper, White Album, or Abbey Road, but there is only one vote. 🤔
I think Pepper is my favoruite overall, but Revolver and Abbey Road may be the best. I think I vote for Revolver.

Re: Best Beatles Album

Evandar — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 06:21:23 GMT

Author: Evandar

Posted: 03/20/2013 10:21

sethmadsen wrote:

Well, glad I could be of help, in a way. 😄

Re: Best Beatles Album

thursdayeno — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:20:08 GMT

Author: thursdayeno

Posted: 03/20/2013 01:20

abbey, peppers, white and mystery tour are tied

then revolver

Re: Best Beatles Album

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 20:54:15 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/20/2013 00:54

White Album
Revolver
Magical Mystery Tour
Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band

Abbey Road

Rubber Soul

Re: Best Beatles Album

RoundTheBend — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 14:37:29 GMT

Author: RoundTheBend

Posted: 03/19/2013 18:37

Evandar wrote:

Revolver, baby. It's the perfect marriage between their early pop/rock-harmonizing style and their later more exploratory style. Gods know it's not easy to choose the best Beatles album, though.

Re: Best Beatles Album

Anonymous — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 13:32:16 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 03/19/2013 17:32

Abbey Road for me, an amazing experience beginning to end, their most accomplished, mature and unique achievement. Rubber Soul comes close and then the rest.